How To Stay Fit, Fueled + Fabulous

Hello, hello! For those of you who live in the U.S. I hope you had a fabulous extra long Labor Day Weekend filled with a lot of fun and relaxing.

We sure did!

Before we get into the details, I wanted to share a guest post from a fellow health and fitness blogger on how to kick start your way back into healthy eating. It can be quite the challenge to get back into your regular eating and workout routine after a long weekend, especially if you let yourself indulge in a cheat meal or five two.

(We’re all human and it happens to the best of us.)

With a dance team photo shoot just a few weeks away, it’s crunch time for me. Today begins a focused eating plan and it starts with some of these necessary steps I thought you would like in on.

Danielle is also a dancer and has some great advice on how to fuel your body with the healthy eats it craves. Take it away, Danielle!

Dance, Nutrition, and Fun Ways to Stay Fit, Fueled & Fabulous

Hi Everyone! Danielle here from danielleprestejohn.com and I am beyond thrilled Heather is allowing me to share a guest post with all of you today. As a fellow dancer, nutrition coach, and fitness junkie, I love the message of Heather’s blog. One of the main reasons I became a nutrition coach is because for a long time, I did not feel fit, fueled, or fabulous.

In fact, I was far from it.

Years of dance and restrictive dieting had taken a toll on my body and my mind and I hit rock bottom. It wasn’t until I discovered the importance of fueling my body and treating it with care that I was able to fight my way back. So today, I want to share some of my favorite tips for staying fit, fueled, and fabulous.

You might notice these tips have a lot to do with nutrition and dance, and this is not by accident, getting my nutrition on track and living a life filled with dance and movement, has truly made me the happiest I’ve ever been.

Hopefully I can convince you to do the same!

Here are some of my favorite tips…

1. Stay Fueled with Whole Foods.

If I could give you one piece of nutrition advice, it would be this! Eat whole foods in their most natural state and your body will thank you. When you skip the added chemicals, preservatives, and ingredients you can’t pronounce, your body is able to easily digest and metabolize your food as fuel. This way your body can use what it needs for energy and metabolize the rest to keep you lean and happy.

 

2. Move your Body Daily.

This is key to boosting endorphins, keeping your mood positive, and staying fit. Daily activity will also help you to clear your mind, keep you on track with your goals, and help to keep your endurance up and your heart in check. Dancing is a highly recommended form of movement! 😉

 

3. Feel and Express your Emotions.

The more you feel and express emotions, the less you will hold onto them and experience stress because of them. Did you know that when you are stressed your body goes into fight or flight mode and doesn’t run as efficiently? This means your metabolism slows down and you are more likely to store food as fat.

In addition, you are more likely to struggle with emotional eating or overeating. I have to admit that this has been a problem for me in the past, and dance has truly helped me to overcome my struggles and really feel my emotions.

 

4. Eat a Rainbow.

This one is as simple as it sounds. Eat a rainbow-colored variety of foods. This means tons of fruits and vegetables to get the full benefits of all the vitamins and minerals your body needs to thrive.

5. Have Fun.

Fun is crucial in weight loss or weight maintenance. Plus, you are much more likely to feel good about yourself when you are happy and having a great time. Don’t overlook the importance of adding fun into your daily routine. Dance is a great way to add some fun in your life. Go out dancing with girlfriends, or even take a dance class for a little extra fun.

 

6. Stay Hydrated.

Hydration is equally as important as nutrition, especially if you are active. Aim to drink at least ½ your body weight in water daily. We often mistake our thirst for hunger, so don’t let this be the case. Drink water often. If you want some flavor add in some herbs, like basil or mint, along with some frozen crushed fruit.

7. Rest and Recover.

Rest and recovery are crucial, yet often overlooked components of a healthy body. When I was a dancer in college, I rarely took a day from intense exercise and ending up burnt out and incredibly fatigued. Rest will allow your body to repair, recover, and grow back stronger. Let’s also not forget the importance of flexibility and mobility, especially if you are a dancer.

Want more tips like this? Sign up for my newsletter and get free updates from me! Plus I send you along a copy of my FREE 5-Step Guide to Ditch the Diets.

Now I want to know…

What’s your favorite tip to live by when it comes to a healthy lifestyle?